Labor Day Weekend Box Office Recap
LOS ANGELES — The film “Weapons” surged back into the spotlight over the Labor Day weekend, marking a notable end to a summer box office performance that is expected to come in just shy of last year’s totals.
Directed by Zach Cregger, the horror film demonstrated its staying power by generating $10.2 million during its fourth weekend in theaters. This resurgence came after “Kpop Demon Hunters” enjoyed brief success in the previous week, offering Netflix its first major box office win.
Meanwhile, the 50th anniversary rerelease of “Jaws,” the iconic 1975 film by Steven Spielberg, took the second spot at the box office with $8.1 million across 3,200 theaters. This classic continues to resonate with audiences, proving that good storytelling stands the test of time, said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst. He expressed appreciation for every dollar earned, as they contribute to the summer’s overall earnings.
The summer box office is projected to reach around $3.7 billion, barely below last year’s figures. However, it won’t meet the pre-pandemic benchmark of $4 billion, a goal that this year’s film releases struggled to achieve. As Dergarabedian noted, the competition was fierce and not every film found traction.
Early releases in May, like “Thunderbolts” and “Lilo & Stitch,” were highlights, but there was a noticeable slump during the latter part of summer despite some successes like “Weapons.” According to Dergarabedian, while many films were of high quality and well-promoted, the season appears to be ending on a cautious note.
Newcomer “Caught Stealing,” featuring Austin Butler, debuted in third place with $7.8 million. Set in 1998, the film follows a bartender drawn into a web of crime. “Freakier Friday” also debuted to positive numbers, taking fourth place with $6.5 million, while “The Roses” rounded out the top five with $6.4 million.
In addition, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” earned $4.8 million and has shown a downward trend since its solid release in late July. “The Bad Guys 2” closely followed with $4.7 million, while “Superman,” another early July release, brought in $2.6 million over the weekend.
As the summer movie season wraps up, here are the top 10 films by domestic box office earnings:
- “Weapons” – $10.2 million
- “Jaws (1975)” – $8.1 million
- “Caught Stealing” – $7.8 million
- “Freakier Friday” – $6.5 million
- “The Roses” – $6.4 million
- “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” – $4.8 million
- “The Bad Guys 2” – $4.7 million
- “Superman” – $2.6 million
- “Nobody 2” – $1.8 million
- “The Naked Gun” – $1.8 million
